diff --git a/kernel/workqueue.c b/kernel/workqueue.c
index 3150b217c936..6ba0c6054224 100644
--- a/kernel/workqueue.c
+++ b/kernel/workqueue.c
@@ -2398,6 +2398,7 @@ static int rescuer_thread(void *__rescuer)
 	struct worker *rescuer = __rescuer;
 	struct workqueue_struct *wq = rescuer->rescue_wq;
 	struct list_head *scheduled = &rescuer->scheduled;
+	bool should_stop;
 
 	set_user_nice(current, RESCUER_NICE_LEVEL);
 
@@ -2409,11 +2410,15 @@ static int rescuer_thread(void *__rescuer)
 repeat:
 	set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE);
 
-	if (kthread_should_stop()) {
-		__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
-		rescuer->task->flags &= ~PF_WQ_WORKER;
-		return 0;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * By the time the rescuer is requested to stop, the workqueue
+	 * shouldn't have any work pending, but @wq->maydays may still have
+	 * pwq(s) queued.  This can happen by non-rescuer workers consuming
+	 * all the work items before the rescuer got to them.  Go through
+	 * @wq->maydays processing before acting on should_stop so that the
+	 * list is always empty on exit.
+	 */
+	should_stop = kthread_should_stop();
 
 	/* see whether any pwq is asking for help */
 	spin_lock_irq(&wq_mayday_lock);
@@ -2459,6 +2464,12 @@ static int rescuer_thread(void *__rescuer)
 
 	spin_unlock_irq(&wq_mayday_lock);
 
+	if (should_stop) {
+		__set_current_state(TASK_RUNNING);
+		rescuer->task->flags &= ~PF_WQ_WORKER;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	/* rescuers should never participate in concurrency management */
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(!(rescuer->flags & WORKER_NOT_RUNNING));
 	schedule();